28 year old Dr. Saleema Rehman has beaten all odds to become the first female Turkmen doctor in Pakistan. The young Afghan refugee has seen a lifetime of barriers and 3 decades of constant struggle to finally achieve her goal.
In her desire to help women who need it the most, she works long extended shifts, often up to 40 hours at a time. She specializes in gynecology and cares for around 40 women in each ward in Rawalpindi’s Holy Family Hospital. Many of the patients that she helps belong to poverty-ridden areas.
She sees it as her destiny to help poverty-ridden women who can’t get help anywhere else.
Her life story
At the age of 13, Saleema fled Afghanistan with her father who did everything possible to get her educated. By morning he would sell bananas and at night he designed carpets. Not only this, but he helped open local schools and also advocated for girl’s education.
Saleema’s father says that she applied consecutively for three years to jump-start her medical career. Eventually, she was offered a highly prized scholarship and now her career is flourishing at the hospital.
Dr. Saleema Rehman is a role model for countless women who find themselves having to break glass ceiling after glass ceiling. Her dedication to her work is outstanding. She also requests Pakistani authorities to let her train and practice so she can keep helping women in dire need of medical attention.
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